I admit it. The first time I ever walked into a gym where Bill James was coaching, I was petrified.
Talk about a presence. Strong, booming voice, could stare through a brick wall. And, of course, Bill had that “wrestling thing” about him.
It didn’t take long to realize that I could not have been more mistaken. And, I was not alone.
“Even as his counterpart and colleague, he had that intimidation factor, definitely,” said Haverhill High coach Tim Lawlor.
“I wondered, ‘do I go say hello or will he bad mad at me?’ and then you talked to him, and he was always so cheerful, so polite, just a great guy.”
The longtime Methuen High educator and coach, James passed away this week, a little over a year after a tragic fall at home left him paralyzed.
To say the loss hits the area wrestling community immensely would be a gigantic understatement.
Methuen, Salem, N.H., and the rest of the Merrimack Valley mourn his loss for sure.
Bill’s son, Brock, took to Instagram about the loss of his dad:
“To my biggest role model, biggest supporter, my hero, coach and the strongest person I know. Thank you for always pushing me to be the best version of myself and making a huge impact on my life. I will continue to make you proud and know you will be watching over me. I will forever be grateful for the memories and fun times we had. The last year has been nowhere near easy for you, but you are in a better place now. You will be missed by so many people. I will always love you.”
Talk to anyone who competed for him, and they will tell you the same thing.
Bill’s passion for student-athletes pushing their limits and reaching for the stars was legendary.
“Especially at that age, you know, 16 or 17, he was the person you just never wanted to disappoint,” said John Sughrue, who wrestled for James, then assisted him and ultimately took over the program last fall after the accident.
“He held these high standards for us. He held himself to high standards, and we were all looking to make him proud.
“You always wanted to make sure, when you came off the mat, whether you won or lost that you gave it everything you had.”
The news of James’ passing spread quickly.
“We’re all dealing with the situation. He was a pillar of the Methuen community for sure,” said Sughrue. “I couldn’t count the number of people he’s had a positive impact on in his 27 years as a teacher. It’s almost unheard of.”
Sughrue’s phone began to ring almost immediately about James.
“I’ve been getting calls from so many people, guys like Calvin (Kattar) and Christian Monserrat, and they all said the same thing,” Sughrue said. “As a kid, you just don’t realize the values he instilled in us.
“He was always watching over us. People might think he was being hard or tough. I always knew he was looking out for us. and he’s such a huge part of what we’ve all become.”
Haverhill’s Lawlor went back to his junior high days when he hit the mat for James’ club teams the Tenney Middle School.
When news of the accident spread last summer, it was a stunning blow to him.
“It was the worst person I could imagine have that happen to,” said Lawlor. “Bill meant so much to a lot of people.”
And while he is gone, James impact and legacy in these parts will absolutely live on.